Marine Plywood or plastics?

[kazak4x4]

I am wanting to build the decking on my double rail frame. What's everyone recommendation on which route to go with? Plastics or Plywood?

Also, does anyone know where (or how) to buy marine plywood in SLC area? Is it something that Homedepot would carry, or do I have to go to a specialized store?

Thanks,
Alex

[dirtbagkayaker]

Kazak, I just used regular old plywood and used a wood water sealer w/ xtra mineral spirts. its cheap! but i will redo them this winter after 5 years of use they look old. I have seen people use fiberglass to coat wood too. so if ya got the skills you can get everything at home depot. ps. i am going to use the high grade finished plywood this time. good luck.

[cataraftgirl]

Sutherlands - 1780 West North Temple, has 3/4 in. marine plywood in stock. $70 a sheet (4 X 8 I think). Home Depot & Lowe's don't carry it in stock. Not sure about Burton lumber???? Pretty pricey no matter where you get it.
KJ

[kazak4x4]

Thanks guys, I will check Sutherlands out.

[oarframe]

Lots of discussion over last winter on this subject. Try searching Chip or lhowemt posts.
personally went with plywood/varnish/poly-u coatings. lots of options with the plywood - started out with some junk and used it to rough cut some patterns - used a 1" and 2" drill bit to cut out access for webbing tie-downs. etc. had lots of fun arranging and re-arranging water jugs/ammo boxes and other stuff to get the optimal swiss-cheese effect. when I got close to what I wanted I shelled out for the wood.
There was a nice discussion here on the various grades of plywood. I've noticed that plywood develops pockets or holes in the edges which lead to water getting in between the sheets if the are not sealed up.

btw - did you ever get your 8' bimini ?

[kazak4x4]

Thanks for the reminder, getting it today! Will use it this weekend, will post pics up once I get it up. Are you looking for one? I found one for pretty cheap

[joecoolives]

Originally Posted by kazak4x4

Thanks for the reminder, getting it today! Will use it this weekend, will post pics up once I get it up. Are you looking for one? I found one for pretty cheap

I used marine grade for my floor. but decided to use 5/8ths 7 ply finnish plywood from Lowes. i chose to use the plywood because it was my first atempt at wood working by myself and I didn't want to mess up a 80 dollar piece of wood. I thought that the piece of plywood was good quality. On the back side i had to put some polyester putty to fill some fine cracks and with a little bit of sanding it turned out great. The Pratt and Lambert store on 33rd has EFFECTO waterproof paint(across from Criss and Dicks, by Redwood road) what I liked about this paint is you can have it mixed into any color you want, and it hardened really well.

I would like to see how that bimini top works. If you want to exchange ideas about deck boards I am in sandy

By the way the 4by 8 sheet 7ply sheet was only 35 bucks, and I thought that it was a good quality wood

[joecoolives]

Originally Posted by kazak4x4

Thanks for the reminder, getting it today! Will use it this weekend, will post pics up once I get it up. Are you looking for one? I found one for pretty cheap

I used some 35 dollar 7 ply 5/8s finish plywood I got from Lowes. It was a good piece of wood. It seamed to be almost the same quality as the piece of marine grade plywood, I used on my floor. I just had to fill a few fine cracks on the bottom with polyester putty, where the strips were glued together. I had help with the floor, but I chose to used the cheeper wood because it was my first woodworking project by myself and I didn't want to mess up a 80 dollar piece of wood. But I think it turned out really well,
for my deck boards
I also used Pratt and Lambert EFFECTO paint, it is waterproof and dried really hard. There is a Pratt and Lambert store on 33rd across from Criss and Dicks by Redwood road. You can mix it any color you want.

I would like some tips on the bimini top, you said you found one cheep.

[swiftwater15]

Use MDO. It;s what they make highway signs out of. It is an exterior gradeplywood with a fused paper face. Boat slides easily, no splinters and lasts a long, long time. Used deck sealer or thin some marine varnish way down so it penetrates and doesn't build a slick surface. Some of the commercial raft trailers use it. I've built two with it and they've lasted through many years of Oregon rain.

[joecoolives]

Originally Posted by swiftwater15

Use MDO. It;s what they make highway signs out of. It is an exterior gradeplywood with a fused paper face. Boat slides easily, no splinters and lasts a long, long time. Used deck sealer or thin some marine varnish way down so it penetrates and doesn't build a slick surface. Some of the commercial raft trailers use it. I've built two with it and they've lasted through many years of Oregon rain.

Right, I forgot about MDO. You do need to sand off the paper backing on the one side. It is cheaper than marine grade.